When you count USB ports on the iMac, you shouldn't forget some limitations - the wired keyboard blocks one port itself, and the 2 USB ports on the keyboard are "unpowered", i.e. not suitable for many USB devices that draw higher currents.

When you count USB ports on the iMac, you shouldn't forget some limitations - the wired keyboard blocks one port itself, and the 2 USB ports on the keyboard are "unpowered", i.e. not suitable for many USB devices that draw higher currents.

Obviously, I'd like to have more USB ports on the 'Mac, but I guess that's my fault, not Apple's.

Click to expand...

sounds like you need to get an all in 1 printer - plugged up to your router... and a better card reader.

if those things are permanently connected. what pain is adding a hub. you can also plug in the wired MM to the wired keyboard with it working fine - and every memory stick i pop in the my keyboard... no problems.

and if you use all those cards.. why connect your camera... just pop out the card if you ahve the card readers.

so the only things that leaves are they keyboard plugged in, the TV stick, and whatever a PDA cradle is. then just plug in the card reader whenever you want. if you want to charge your MP3 player.. plug it into a wall.

sounds like you need to get an all in 1 printer - plugged up to your router... and a better card reader.

if those things are permanently connected. what pain is adding a hub. you can also plug in the wired MM to the wired keyboard with it working fine - and every memory stick i pop in the my keyboard... no problems.

and if you use all those cards.. why connect your camera... just pop out the card if you ahve the card readers.

so the only things that leaves are they keyboard plugged in, the TV stick, and whatever a PDA cradle is. then just plug in the card reader whenever you want. if you want to charge your MP3 player.. plug it into a wall.

Click to expand...

I agree... iMac needs more USB.

As far as I recall, I have the mouse plugged into the keyboard into the iMac, then a UPS cable, and a USB hub, to which the Printer/Scanner/card reader is attached.

I have a SanDisk MicroMate SD card reader that doesn't work on the Mac... do I use the one in the printer. The only other thing I tend to connect is my iPod/iPhone, and I connect those through the hub for syncing and into the wall to charge.

In general, a hub is useful for connecting on-demand devices. What would be really nice is some USB ports on the side of the iMac, for on-demand items. Yes, the SanDisk MicroMate sticking out the side of an iMac might give Steve Jobs a heart attack, but I think it would be useful!

Ah, I didn't realize that. I've got the 2008 iMac and it only has three. Good to hear that the iMac has 4 now.

I do use the Apple keyboard, but, I have a wireless Logitech mouse so plugging the base station into the keyboard isn't really a viable option, therefore the mouse takes one USB slot. There aren't really any bluetooth mice yet that offer what I'm looking for (Lots of buttons and more importantly, proper size), so I'm stuck with the FastRF wireless-over-USB for awhile.

Also, the USB slots on the keyboard are OK for devices that have a cord, but for devices like a USB flash reader, the recessed ports don't work well because the device won't fit under the keyboard or into the port properly.
I *can* get my reader in there, but it feels like I'm jamming it in and I'm not really comfortable with that.

As for a hub... blech, clutter.

Ah well, it's all really pointless whining, isn't it?
I love my iMac still, and if the biggest thing I have to complain about is the lack of an extra USB port, it's got to be pretty good
I do the same thing with my Honda Fit... I complain endlessly about the windshield spray nozzles not being robust enough for Maine winters... and again, I remind myself that if that's my biggest complaint, it's a pretty nice car

sounds like you need to get an all in 1 printer - plugged up to your router... and a better card reader.

if those things are permanently connected. what pain is adding a hub. you can also plug in the wired MM to the wired keyboard with it working fine - and every memory stick i pop in the my keyboard... no problems.

and if you use all those cards.. why connect your camera... just pop out the card if you ahve the card readers.

so the only things that leaves are they keyboard plugged in, the TV stick, and whatever a PDA cradle is. then just plug in the card reader whenever you want. if you want to charge your MP3 player.. plug it into a wall.

Click to expand...

Someone fell for it . SmartCards and CF/SD cards are quite different - one is for encryption, the others are for storage. I don't like AIO printer/scanners very much - there are too many compromises involved. Plugging in the camera is just very convenient - just open iPhoto and upload the pictures; but I also have also a USB 1.1 camera where I prefer the faster card reader instead.

Maybe I am a weirdo because I don't want to buy a whole new set of gadgets just because I have a Mac now. I use a hub already, there is hardly any choice for me. But hubs aren't a perfect solution - they need extra power supplies and can only provide limited upstream bandwidth. As an example, if I had the TV receiver and printer connected to the same hub, there would be problems using both at the same time.

Two questions I have is a) Does it come with two hd's? And b) Are they the green version?

The model is WDH2Q10000N

Could someone also explain to me how Time Machine backup works? Can I simply browse files on this hard drive, and can I copy separate files there too that don't belong to the system itself? Ex: I take the drive some place else, and want to save a few files from another computer to it - would that mess up the Time Machine's backup?

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.